Everyone on Firefly transport ship Serenity is standing shoulder to shoulder in the cargo bay - except River Tam, the genius child saved from Alliance experimentation by her doctor brother, Simon. Those in the line are blindfolded, many near sleep as supper was finished just moments before. River stands at the front of the line holding a large brown bowl. River, starting with Serenity captain Malcolm Reynolds, playfully asks each person to hold out a hand. Upon reaching each crew member - in order of Mal, first-mate Zoe Warren, her husband and pilot Wash, muscle-for-hire Jayne Cobb, ship preacher/counselor/conscience Shepherd Book, Simon and ship mechanic Kaylee Frye - eases each offered hand into the bowl, allows each person a few seconds, then removes the hand and asks each person to keep that hand by their side. At River's request, no one speaks while performing this task. Wash chuckled a bit as his turn came, Jayne gave his usual grunt, but no conversation was shared.

River (still playful): "Anybody?"

No response. Crickets, even.

River: "C'mon, it's easy."

Wash: "How 'bout a clue?"

River: "No clues. Too easy." River starts humming the Jeopardy theme - of course, no one else recognizes it. It's the future.

Jayne: "This is stupid. I'm taking this gorram thing off." River, in a flash, rushes to Jayne and slaps his hand.

River: "No peeking." Jayne grunts some more.

Several seconds pass. Still, no one speaks. Unheard, Book has been sniffing.

Book (with a hint of confusion): "River, did you just stick our hands in a bowl of mashed potatoes?" Everyone rips off their blindfolds.

River: "We have a winner!" River starts dancing around, runs up and hugs Book while the rest of the crew is cursing in Mandarin - Mal, Wash, Zoe, Simon and Kaylee in a dejected "I can't believe I didn't guess that" manner, leading to a good bit of laughter. Jayne is pissed.

Jayne: "What's so gorram funny? We been eatin' nothin' but raw protein for weeks, finally get somethin' worth enjoyin' and she wastes this on a g